Sheet-delivery apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. HAWKINS.

SHBET'DELIVERY APPARATUS.

No. 323,329. Patented July 28,1885.

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(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. T.- HAWKINS.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS. No. 323,329. Patented July 28, 1885.

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JOHN T. HA\VKINS, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHEET-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

.SPEUIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,329,61atec'l July 28,1885.

Application filed December L, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom; itmay concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN T. HAwKiNs, of Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SheetDelivery Mechanism for Printing-Machines, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a delivery apparatus more particularly applicable to that class of printing-machines designed for color-printing, whether pictorial strictly or ornamental in pattern, such color printing demanding a delivery which will permit of the drying of the sheets in transit to the place of deposit.

The invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts as hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in end elevation a delivery-cylinder of a printingmachine (which may or may not perform at the same time any printing funo tiou) from which the sheet is transferred to the traveling delivery mechanism shown in side elevation. Fig. 2showsin side elevation part of the traveling delivery shown in Fig. 1, and in end view a. transverse delivery provided with movable trays. 3 shows in side elevation the transverse delivery shown in Fig. 2. Fig. at shows in plan the transverse delivery shown in the two preceding figures.

In said figures the several parts are indicated by letters as follows: Upon the shaft (i is secured the cam gflwhich is of proper shape to oscillate by means of the roller 9 secured to the connecting-rod g) the strippers g to the two positions shown in full and dotted lines, Fig. 1, at each revolution of the deliverycylinder G. Upon the righthand end of the shaft (1 Fig. 1, is secured a bevel-wheel, 72 Upon a short vertical shaft, journaled in projections from one of the frames A, are socured bevelwvheels h 7r. Upon a. shaft, 71?,

jonrnaled in frames A, is secured a bevelwheel, h", which engages the hevel-wheel h". Upon the shaft h are secured two or more sprocket-spiders, j, having four or more arms, each of suitable form on the ends to engage a series of rods, j. In a suitable stand, J, is carried a shaft, J, carrying a second set of sprocketspiders, J also engaging the rods j. The rods j are journaled in a series of links, 3*, and together with links j" form an endless chain. The stand J, with its sprockets J", may be set at any suitable distance from the shaft h carrying sprockets as may be thought desirable, to enable the sheets to be carried a suii'icient distance to become dried beforepiling upon the receivingboard J, attached to the stand J, the proper number of links j", rods j, &e., being made up for that purpose. Journaled in the links j" are a series of gripper-rods, j, each carrying a series of grippers, j", closing upon the rods j by means of springs. Surrounding said rods, (not shown,) and on one end of each of the gripper-rods f, are secured levers j, each carrying a roller, j To one of the frames A is secured a stationary cam, K, and to stand J a similar cam, K, which engage at the proper times the rollers j for opening and closing successively the grippersj. The speed of the shaft l'i and of its sprockets j is so proportioned by means of the bevelwheels h, h, h, and Ir that one arm of the sprocket j, and consequently one set-of grippers j", shall pass to position for grasping the issuing sheet for every revolution of the delivery-cylinder G, thus traveling much slower than the sheett-ravels down the strippers g at the time that the grippers j seize it.

S S show the separate sheets, after being completely printed, as'being held by grippers j vertically suspended by their leading ends or heads.

S shows a sheet in position as held by one setof grippers j", with the strippers g oscillated out of the way to allow its tail-end to loop and drop into the vertical position shown in full lines, Fig. 1.

A, Fig. 2, is a continuation of the frames A, Fig. 1, as arranged for delivering the sheets individually upon trays or drying frames, the shaft J, Fig. 2, taking the place of and per forming the same function as the shaft J, Fig. 1.

A is a base-piece carrying four uprights, A, in which are journaled the shafts of the mechanism now to be described, the basepiece A being placed below the level of the base-piece A sufficiently to bring the shaft (1, Figs. 2, 3, 4,'in line with the shaft (2 Fig. l, the former being a continuation of the latter. Upon the shaft d is secured a spur-wheel, i, which engages an equal wheel, 73, secured to a shaft, ifljournaled in uprights A Upon the shaft i" is secured a box-cam, with a groove in it, as shown in Fig. 3, engaging a roller, 4;". Fulcrumed in one of the uprights is a lever, i, carrying on its free end a toothed sector engaging a spur pinion, i and at about its middle the roller 2'", which engages the groove of cam i. The pinion is secured to a sleeve, i journaled in upright A, which in turn serves as a bearing for a shaft, i at one end, the opposite end being journaled in the upright A Upon the sleeve 2' is formed a three-toothed ratchet, i and secured to shaft 11 is a pair of sprocket wheels, t to the one of which adjoining the toothed ratchet i is attached a pawl, i which engages the ratchet i The shaft i carries a pair of sprocket wheels, i parallel to and placed at any suitable distance from the shaft 17. Upon the s rocket-wheels Fi is carried an endless a ron P or belt, 1', having upon its inner side suitable projections to engage the depressions in the sprocket-wheels, and having secured upon its outer surface transverse seats 1', spaced at proper distances to receive between them the trays or drying-frames for receiving the print ed sheets.

The complete operation is as follows: The cylinder G- carries the sheet until its head reaches the points of thestripper-fingers g, em-

bedded in circumferential grooves in said cylinder, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 1, at which point the grippers on cylinder G (not shown) release the sheet, and it passes down the stripper-fingers 9 until it overtakes the open grippers j, moving in the same direction at a slower rate. At this point the grippers j are closed upon the sheet by the action of the cam K, and simultaneously the earn 9'' oscillates the strippers 9 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, while the grippers j are at the same time moving away from the strippers 9, allowing the tail of the sheet to loop, as shown at S, Fig. 1, and finally to be successively suspended ertically, as at S S. The endless chain of grippers illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be made as long as may be necessary to convey the sheets thus suspended over hot-air pipes or other drying devices, and at the end of such chain of grippers the grippers j" are successively opened by the cam K, allowing the sheets to drop successively in a pile either upon the receiving-board J 3 or upon trays on the traveling apron. (Shownin Fig. 3.) Vhen delivered to said trays, said delivery is thus accomplished: The shaft (1 impartsa continuous motion to the cam i through the gearwhcels i i, so that said cam makes one revolution for each revolution of the cylinder G, vibrating the sector-arm 71 for each sheet to be delivered. The vibration of the sector-arm i through the ratchet i rotates the sprocketwheels 13 i, and intermittently conveys the apron 2' through a distance between two slats 2", the parts being so adjusted that the moving of the apron i is done while the last undelivered sheet is approaching it as suspended in a vertical position from the grippers j*, and it remains at rest during the time that the sheet is laid and dropped upon the drying frame or tray previously laid upon said apron by an attendant, the drying frames or trays being successively supplied to the apron 7; at one end and removed at the other during the period of said aprons rest by the proper attendants.

It is obvious that the endless apron and drying-frames may be dispensed with, if desired. It is also obvious that said apron and drying frame apparatus may be used in conjunction with any suitable delivery other than the sprocket-wheel delivery shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus fully described my said improvements as of my invention, I claiml. In a printing-press, in combination with a grooved delivery-cylinder, a sheet-delivery consisting of a series of oscillating stripperfingers, and two sets of sprocket-wheels carrying suitable endless chains provided with sets of grippers arranged to successively take the sheets from the stripperfingers and to convey them suspended by their upper or leading ends until, by the action of suitable stationary cams, said grippers are opened, thereby re leasing the sheets in a pile upon a suitable receiving-table, substantially as set forth.

2. In a printing-machine, a sheet-delivery consisting of endless chains and grippers carried upon sprocket wheels or spiders, and constructed with pivots, upon which the links hinge, consisting of rod-s extending from chain to chain, and with gripper-shaftsjournaled in said links in such positions as to allow each series of grippers to close upon said rods for clamping or gripping the sheets, substantially as set forth.

3. As part of the delivery apparatusof a printing or other machine, a transverse endless belt or apron intermittently operated at the proper time so as to remain at rest during the deposition of a sheet upon it through suitable connection with said machine, and pro vided with slats rigidly secured to the outer surface of said apron at intervals apart, whereby means are provided for retaining removable drying frames or trays between said slats on top of said apron, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN T. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

ELISHA T. J AOKSON, WVM. T. MAG-RUDER. 

